everything you have heard about this movie is true.

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

Obviously somebody thought they had a good idea for a film, where religious beliefs could get in the way of common sense, and "Hero's Island"is that film. Shot entirely in one location, Catalina Island, the story lacks excitement, and quite frankly is pretty boring. The only saving grace is seeing the great character actors in 1962, and what a wonderful cast it is. Rip Torn, Harry Dean Stanton, Neville Brand, James Mason, and Warren Oates. Kate Manx is the Bible thumping woman, who's religion rules her every decision. My thought is that it's just not worth wading through all the uninteresting scenes to finally arrive at the swashbuckling conclusion. For fans of the actors only, unless you need something guaranteed to be sleep inducing. - MERK

It's difficult to fathom the minority negative reviews submitted for this film, as it really is a fine effort, which is certainly different from the run of the mill films of this type. The dialogue suits the period, and definitely lends an authentic touch to the proceedings. The ensemble cast is uniformly excellent, with particularly fine performances from James Mason, Warren Oates, and the ill-fated Kate Manx. The pace of the film is just right, and it proves to be an absorbing tale that retains the viewers attention throughout. Despite the fact that it is rarely seen, these days, it is well worth seeking out. An excellent and underrated film.

With a more realistic storyline this movie would have been only about ten minutes long, as the marauding and obviously very lawless Gates brothers would almost certainly have murdered the entire group of newly arrived intruders during one of their earliest encounters. The idea that they would even allow -- let alone ask -- ask Mrs. Mainwaring, her children, and a family friend to depart peaceably for the mainland after murdering her husband in cold blood is utterly ludicrous, particularly given the remote and isolated offshore setting in early-1700s Carolina. The other factor that prompted me to hit the "Stop" button on my PVR about fifteen minutes in was poor sound. With the exception of Brand, who delivers his lines with relatively forceful clarity, the male cast members largely mutter their lines; as a result I found that following the dialog was nearly impossible, even after trying to compensate with every possible adjustment to my audio system's equalizer and noise reduction settings. This is one utterly forgettable B-grader best left in the vault.

Here's an underappreciated gem from the early 60s. Apparently a labour of love for co-producers James Mason and Leslie Stevens (who also wrote and directed), Hero's Island details the scramble for survival in the newly settled colony of Carolina. It raises interesting issues of ownership and propriety without sacrificing an exciting and realistic story. The cast is simply outstanding, particularly Warren Oates and (Harry) Dean Stanton in one of his earliest roles. Neville Brand is second billed but actually has quite a small role; future Andy Sidaris 'star' Darby Hinton gets a bigger chunk of screen time as a settler's son. The Panavision photography is uniformly outstanding, and frequently ravishingly beautiful as lensed by Ted McCord (Sound of Music, East of Eden, and many others).